


Written On His Skin

by YumeArashi



Series: Haven [1]
Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Child Abuse, Gen, Pre-The Raven Boys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:54:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21903313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YumeArashi/pseuds/YumeArashi
Summary: Ronan finds about about Adam's abusive home.
Series: Haven [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1579183
Comments: 13
Kudos: 53





	Written On His Skin

"What's the matter, Parrish, you too good to hang out?" Ronan watched Adam, caught in the act of sneaking out of Monmouth, flinch violently.

"I just came to pick up my Latin textbook, forgot it after studying yesterday," Adam mumbled, without turning around. "I didn't figure anyone was here."

"Talking to me with your back turned? Rude. You so ashamed of sneaking in like a thief that you can't look me in the eye?"

Adam glared at Ronan over his shoulder, his angular profile stark against the dark industrial metal of the door. "There. I'm looking you in the eye. Happy now?"

Ronan stalked over, eyes narrowing as Adam turned to keep his left side facing away. He reached out and took hold of Adam's chin, turning his face towards him. A fresh bruise covered Adam's cheek, ugly red and purple spreading all the way to his jaw, a smear of half-dried blood where the skin had split over the cheekbone. It was a spectacular bruise - whoever had hit Adam had meant it, and had plenty of strength to deliver their hate.

It made Ronan's blood sing with rage.

"Who did this?" he asked, deadly calm. His gaze dropped to Adam's hands, the knuckles unbruised, unbloodied. Adam hadn't fought back.

"No one. I tripped and fell, hit my face on a curb."

"Don't fucking lie, Parrish. How dumb do you think I am? You know how many fights I've been in, I know what the aftermath looks like. So I'll ask again, and this time you better not insult my intelligence with your bullshit. Who did this?"

Adam pulled his face away, snapping, "Why do you even care? You hate my guts as much as anyone. I think you'd be pleased."

Ronan gave a short sharp bark of laughter. "Nice try, Parrish. You think I of all people don't know when someone's deflecting by getting hostile? Try again. Who did this?"

"Nice try, Lynch," Adam mocked. "You think I don't know when someone's deflecting a question with another question? Try again. Why do you care?"

"Maybe I just wanna fuck someone up."

"I don't doubt you do, but you've never needed an excuse. If you want an answer, you can cut the bullshit, otherwise we're done here."

Ronan glared, but when Adam shrugged and turned to walk away, he muttered sullenly, "No one touches the people I run with. Doesn't matter if I hate their guts. That's just how it is. Now for the last fucking time, who hit you?"

Adam's shoulders hunched. Ronan growled. "You promised me an answer."

"No, I said if you wanted an answer you'd cut the bullshit. Never said I'd give you one if you did."

Ronan swore - creatively, at length, and profane enough to scorch metal.

Adam gave him a lopsided smirk, his swollen cheek pulling it off-center.

"Fine, you pissy little asshole, I'll just guess. Kavinsky? One of his mangy little mutts?"

Adam snorted scornfully. "No."

"Louie B?"

"No."

"Tantrum Taggart?"

"It's no one you know, so just forget it," Adam snapped, annoyed.

"Some Mountain View bully from your public school days?"

"No. You're not gonna get it, so give up."

"Someone at work? An asshole customer? Not a fucking co-worker, I hope."

"For the last time, no! Give it up already."

Ronan frowned. Who else did Adam even interact with, outside of Gansey dragging him into their circle? Adam had no life. He got up, he went to school, he went to work, and then he went

Home.

Ronan's stomach sank.

"Your old man did this," he said quietly. It wasn't a question.

Adam said nothing, but his gaze dropped and the expression that flashed across his face in that split second brought a fresh wave of rage crashing over Ronan.

Shame.

"I'm gonna beat him to death," Ronan decided, forcing his tone to remain casual.

"You aren't really going to murder my father."

"I can still beat the shit out of him."

"So he turns around and takes it out on me? Thanks, I'll pass."

"Then I teach you to fight, next time you can defend yourself."

"Are you kidding? The only reason he stops at this," Adam gestured to the bruise, "is that I don't fight back. If I start standing up for myself, if I challenge him, then he'll beat me until I'm too broken to  _ ever _ try anything like that again."

"So we report him."

"Jesus, Lynch, don't you get it? No one cares." Adam sounded tired - beyond tired, dull with exhaustion. "You think teachers haven't seen this? Neighbors? The people I work with? Everyone knows Robert Parrish beats his kid. No one gives a damn."

"Sounds like there's a lot of fuckers I oughtta beat up."

Adam rolled his eyes. "It's just another couple years. Once I get into college, I move into the dorms and never set foot in that house again."

"You gotta survive until then."

"You think I don't know? Money's not the only reason I work three jobs. He can't hit me if I'm not home."

"Yeah?" Ronan reached out to swipe his thumb over the smear of blood, holding it up for Adam to see. "How's that working out for you?"

"I didn't say it works a hundred percent of the time. I still live there, I can't avoid him forever. It sure as hell beats  _ not _ staying out of his way."

"Gansey'd let you move in here," Ronan muttered, trying not to think too hard about the possibilities of that - good or bad. "Hell, when he finds out about this he'll probably insist."

"You know I can't pay rent. So does he."

"Like he gives a fuck."

"I give a fuck."

"You  _ are _ a fuck. A stupid, stubborn fuck. Is your goddamn pride really worth dying for?"

"Yes," Adam said simply. "Besides, do you want my father getting mad about it and coming here to make trouble for Gansey?"

Ronan, about to hotly protest that he'd like nothing better, snapped his mouth shut at the last two words.

"Yeah, didn't think so."

"Look, will you at least promise that if shit starts looking ugly, you'll call us to come get you?" Ronan scowled.

Adam shook his head. "I'm not-"

"Shut up, Parrish, don't you even fucking argue with me right now. This is not a goddamn request. Things get bad, you get the hell out, you call, we come to get you. I don't care if it's the middle of the motherfucking night, you call, we come. That's how it's gonna be. Now, are you sticking around or what? I got GTA IV and a serious need for cathartic violence."

Adam smiled faintly. "And Gansey will do his Disappointed Dad routine if it's the real kind of violence."

"Shut up, asshole. No one asked you." Ronan handed him a controller.

It wasn't beating the shit out of Robert Parrish, but it would have to do.

For now.

**Author's Note:**

> Now with a [follow-up fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21927319)! :)


End file.
